ILGM WW Auto Questions

Here’s a convo on my grow journal with Dbrn regarding this subject.

Post #385

3 Likes

Read this a while back and the whole thing kinda melted my brain as well…

2 Likes

I’ve only recently started keeping track of my pH & ppm in and out… And the plants are looking pretty good, but I’m wondering if it’s time for a flush. Plant 3 in particular has a pH that just keeps dropping. I’m in Cana Coco with perlite. How would I best get the runoff up? I’ve been shooting for 6.0-6.3 going in.

Here’s my numbers:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-FvSUj5pbOtHFetdiyFfsoaGJ5xq2APdJSoq1zDJq8s/edit?usp=sharing

I do have some FloraKleen on the way, because I am figuring I’ll at least need it closer to harvest - but would it also be used for a mid-grow flush? Like I said, all the plants seem to be happy - but the plummeting pH on #3 has me a little concerned.

2 Likes

You can use that product throughout the grow. Just follow the package instructions. It reduces the amount of water needed to properly flush the substrate. Just don’t go out of the ‘acceptable’ PH range for cannabis as you risk burning the roots. Where you are now is fine.

3 Likes

@Myfriendis410 - I’ve read 5.5 was about as low as I wanted to go, and that autos do best from 5.8-6.5 (which is why I shoot for 6.0-6.3 in)? What would you consider the “acceptable” range - at what point would there be that danger? Early on I was giving nutes every day - now I’m mixing in water only days.

2 Likes

I was only cautioning not to exceed normal cannabis PH range which for me would be low hydro to high soil or 5.3 to 6.8. If trying to bump PH in a particular direction, doing this with water only is almost futile. If you are having issues the best thing would be to maybe top dress with dolomite lime to buffer at a higher PH. You would have to do a bit of research to find the amount but it’s cheap and works.

2 Likes

I’m using the HLG 260W QB 288 v2 Rspec light in my 3x3 tent currently - but I’ve been toying with the idea of adding additional lighting while they are in flower. My light does have a number of the 660nm LEDs in it, but I was wondering if adding additional ones would be of any benefit to me or if it would just be a waste of money - on the purchase and electric. The one I was looking at is:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0744GY7TP/

The one thing that is driving me nuts right now is seeing the lower bud sites, knowing they aren’t getting much light. I’ve been leaf tucking as much as possible to allow the light down to the lower ones, but really that’s it (I did LST during weeks 3 & 4). I’ve read about side lighting. but given my 3 plants have pretty much taken over all my tent space - any side lighting would be pretty much in direct contact with the leaves. I know I’m probably not going to be able to do much, but would perhaps setting light fixture on the tent floor with a CFL or 2 in them perhaps help some? Or as a beginner am I just way overthinking things that I really don’t need to worry about and should just get used to? LOL

One other question. I may be away on travel for 2 days after the holidays. Is there something that won’t break the bank to make sure things don’t dry up? Each plant is drinking about a gallon a day right now (with runoff).

My personal opinion is that going two days between watering would be normal and fine.

2 Likes

I would have to agree

1 Like

Is there a point at which I might wish to give a 12/12 light cycle a shot? Grandmama is 40” in week 7 and still not fully flowering (and getting taller by the day). Upper leaves are also kinda lime greenish. It’s like she’s stuck in vegetative mode (and I’m feeding flower nutes) and she won’t stop growing. If she keeps going like this, I’m gonna run out of tent or be forced to chop or eject her.

I thought the average on WW autos was about 18-24”.

Photos of the main cola…

1 Like

With the other 2 out of the tent… I can’t keep raising them… LOL

1 Like

Hi @moonchild, I had a bit of the same experience. All of 5 my autos refused to flip on thier own so I flipped to 12/12 and they are all on their way to flower. My WW is in the rear rt in this pic. I had my lihht at 16-8 to satrt but then went to 20-4 for a few weeks till I finally flipped em last week. I gave them FF grow big nutes only untill I flipped and then put em on flower nutes every other watering, but they still get a bit Of Grow big to help with the stretch period. I’ll drop it in the 4th week.


Heres a close up. She and a Gorilla Glue#4 are at 90 days or so.

As you can see I have the same problem with space. I think a 12-12 light cycle and minimal Grow nutes would have had em flipping on thier own much sooner.
Good problems to have tho!!
Goodluck.

3 Likes

Thanks! It appears some autos don’t auto… given @Nicky’s comment here… but my next question would be, if 12/12 gets her going, do I need to stay there or can I go back to 18/6 or 20/4? I went ahead an flipped from 20/4 to 12/12 last night as her leaves were also drooping quite a bit.

1 Like

If your going to flip to a photo scedule I suggest 11 on max due to the sativa genetics in all these plants these days. I don’t have any proof of this but it makes sence if you look at the way nature works being that sativas grow near the equator and receive less than 12hr of light come flowering season.

Personally I’ve never had an auto not flip so I don’t know if you Can go back to more lights on, I’m sure you could but I wouldn’t again because the genetics of the plant are comprised and thus it’s needing the dark more so than an auto normally would.

If you get stable genetics from a quality breeder this issue should be avoided all together and you can grow on a 20/4 or 18/6 scedule from start to finish.

Of course it’s an auto so either will work but your best bet is what we are debating here.

2 Likes

@moonchild,
see no reason to switch back and stress the plant again. In 8 weeks or so they will be done. For me in the future, I will do 18-6 for 6 weeks from sprout and flip to 12-12 no matter what…That’ll keep em to a reasonible size. Even 6 weeks could be too much.You can check out my grow page.

2 Likes

I thought I was… they’re ILGM seeds. LOL

1 Like

Me too!! Lol…actually I think you can manipulate them a quite a bit but then whats the point. Might as well grow fotos and flip when you want. I think it really depends on light and medium feed. If they get an extra helping of grow nutes and lots of light time they’ll extend their usual veg stage as all of mine did. I’m growing in FFoF and it has enough veg nutes to carry most fotos thru veg periods of 3 months without any addl nutes. So I think those that grow in a medium thats not as hot would follow a prescribed veg feed plan and change over before they see flowers and that helps induce flowering in the auto plant at the breeders timeline. There are different opinions on this but I’m think they can be manipulated. I think @Haildamaged, has alot more experience with autos then I do, and he might lend a more educated opinion. I also am bit of newbie at this.
On my grow, I’m wondering if the yield will increase because my plants are bigger or if the yield will be spread out because they’re predisposed to how much flower they will make regardless. Time will tell…

You are in the stretch which can last for 2 weeks and double the height of the plant. You do not need to go to 12/12 as the plant is already doing it’s thing. You are absolutely flowering.

If you do your homework you can find out what the precise Daily Light Interval should be (DLI) which would then inform your day length and power levels.

Removing understory larfy growth will force that effort into the tops FYI.

Plants do not utilize light that strikes the undersides of the leaves. So underneath lighting is not worth it.

3 Likes

But it being an auto I wouldn’t personally touch the leafs till they look dead or almlst dead.

I have seen a handful of ILGM autos not go into autoflower mode so as much as I think they have good genetics on the photo side their auto genetics seem a little unstable

1 Like